Iâ€™ve been reading up on the WS-10 lately with all the news in the media about the new Chinese J-14/J-20 Stealth fighter prototype.

One of the most common refrains by the â€˜learnedâ€™ who say that we donâ€™t need to worry about the J-20 is that â€œChina cannot make enginesâ€.

To support this, they usually trot out Russian sources who tell us that the WS-10 is a copy of the AL-31F, and that the Chinese canâ€™t make a working copy of it; so thus, they are dependent on Russian Arms Exports for their superfighter(s).

The problem is, itâ€™s not true.

The basic WS-10 technology dates to 1980 when China initated development of high performance engines to support next generation aircraft.

To support this in 1982 they bought two CFM-56 turbofans from the US. There was quite some concern over this at the time because the CFM-56 core is a derivative of the F101 core that powers the B-1, and the F101 was also worked up into the F110 core which powers some F-16s.

In 1986 with the technology in hand, Deng Xiaoping initaled the plan for turbofan development. By 1989 actual development and manufacture of the WS-10 core began and it achieved first power in December 1992.

Of course, they had problems through the 1990s with the turbine and compressor blades so flight testing didnâ€™t begin until 2001/02. And of course there were problems which bedeviled it due to poor quality control, like a WS-10 exploding after takeoff in a test mule Su-27 in 2004.

The WS-10A finally passed itâ€™s 40 day endurance test with no failures in November 2005.

As you can see, the WS-10 has a totally different internal layout, higher bypass ratio, and larger inlet than the AL-31F. So it is in no way a clone of the AL-31F.

So what does the WS-10 come close to resembling? Why yes, none other than the F110 with itâ€™s 0.85:1 bypass ratio and the SAME exact compressor and turbine arrangement!

No wonder the
has suffered a very long protracted development and suffers from slow throttle response â€” the Chinese had to not only reverse engineer the CFM-56 turbofan core, but then re-militarize it back into a F110 clone.

Thatâ€™s up there with the Japanese reverse engineering the Jumo 004B from a grainy photograph.

Oh, since they now have a working CFM-56 derivative core in production, making large, high bypass ratio turbofans for the Y-20 strategic airlifter is a lot easier.

The truth about WS-10A at this very momement is PLAAF does not feel it is reliable and efficient enough to power its fighters to date. They recently signed a massive order with Saturn for more AL-31 engines which proves their lack of faith in it. They do feel comfortable enough to run a testing programme for them but it is a far cry from a fieldable engine.

Problems I have heard are blade cracking, slow throttle acceleration, uneven production standards and high catastrophic risk.

It is based on the AL-31F series of engines... China never had access to military grade GE cores which are a world apart from their French civilian counterparts.

The truth about WS-10A at this very momement is PLAAF does not feel it is reliable and efficient enough to power its fighters to date. They recently signed a massive order with Saturn for more AL-31 engines which proves their lack of faith in it. They do feel comfortable enough to run a testing programme for them but it is a far cry from a fieldable engine.

Problems I have heard are blade cracking, slow throttle acceleration, uneven production standards and high catastrophic risk.

It is based on the AL-31F series of engines... China never had access to military grade GE cores which are a world apart from their French civilian counterparts.

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Oh man.....I just wish that the Chinese were more like the Indians. In India if the local industry produces a half-baked indigenous defense equipment tthat the Army or the IAF rejects.....the politicians and beaurocrats keep turning on the screws until the Army or the IAF gives up and buys a few to
save face.

someone doesnt' change a bit here...always deny...and never have a look at themselves...' talk only do noting' is not popular in the world ...

the production is still ON...and AS I SAID ,4 regiments is updating their jets with J11B and BS...normally each J11 regiment has 24 jets...
and I would like to tell you that these J11B,BS jets had engines already in the pic taken by å‚»äººé˜²ç« which you posted. have a look carefully.

those camouflage cover mean nothing

and these so called enginless J11B,BS are spotted flying at the stations of these regiments across the country ...

someone doesnt' change here...always deny...and never have a look at themselves... talk only do noting...

the production is still ON...and AS I SAID ,4 regiments is updating their jets with J11B and BS...normally each J11 regiment has 24 jets...
and I would like to told you that these J11B,BS jets had enginse already in the pic taken by å‚»äººé˜²ç« which you posted.

and these so called enginless J11B,BS are spotted at the stations of these regiments...

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I just showed you a current pic of J-11Bs sitting at Shenyang STILL without engines and you showed one with an entire engineless regiment. There are only two serving regiments of J-11Bs and they all fly on AL-31Fs. The two they have made still don't have engines and are sitting at the factory field waiting for WS-10A clearance.

Oh man.....I just wish that the Chinese were more like the Indians. In India if the local industry produces a half-baked indigenous defense equipment tthat the Army or the IAF rejects.....the politicians and beaurocrats keep turning on the screws until the Army or the IAF gives up and buys a few to
save face.

In China they just tell the local industry NO.

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Apart from certain programs there are many success, offcourse you wont accept and we dont need you to accept either.

I just showed you a current pic of J-11Bs sitting at Shenyang STILL without engines and you showed one with an entire engineless regiment. There are only two serving regiments of J-11Bs and they all fly on AL-31Fs. The two they have made still don't have engines and are sitting at the factory field waiting for WS-10A clearance.

Get with reality...

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Oh,an indian know PLAAF so well, even better than me...I'm really surprised and impressed....would you please tell me more about the second J11B regiment with AL31Fs, unit number and location ,any pics?...except the No.1 regiment in Northeast....LOL...no pic no fact--this is your rule...I had the pics of these 4 regiments of J11B with WS 10,one of which could be found in my post @11:48AM...show your evidence please.

have a careful look at the pic you post again...those jets had engines...Camo cover mean nothing...the nozzle of WS10 is shorter than AL31F.

Oh,an indian know PLAAF so well, even better than me...I'm really surprised and impressed....would you please tell me more about the second J11B regiment with AL31Fs, unit number and location ,any pics?...except the No.1 regiment in Northeast....LOL...no pic no fact--this is your rule...I had the pics of these 4 regiments of J11B with WS 10,one of which could be found in my post @11:48AM...show your evidence please.

have a careful look at the pic you post again...those jets had engines...Camo cover mean nothing...the nozzle of WS10 is shorter than AL31F.

would you please figure out the the unit number, location ,pics or anyting about the SECOND J11B regiment with AL31 engine besides the 1st regiment of 1st devision ...

the video is about the 1st regiment. which is well know as the first J11B regiment in China.

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It is well known as the first and the second regiment came out shortly after which was well BEFORE WS-10A was even thought to be cleared by you fanboys. The newer production do not have engines which you demonstrated yourself from a pic last year and one I demonstrated from this month. The only way for you to prove otherwise is to show a line of J-11Bs sporting shiny new WS-10As and there isn't one.